The Portland daily press., 1887-02-03
BLAcKsToNE's CONFESSION.
Text of the Letter Which He Sent to
Elias Thomas.
He Explains His Modus operandi of
Taking the Banks Funds.
His Connection With the Diamond
Wrench Company.
He Regrets the Course Which Led to
His Downfall.
He might Have Been Bank Cashier
But Now is an Exile.
Unable to Enjoy Religion on Account
of His Crime.
He Regrets the Course Which Led to
His Downfall.
He might Have Been a Bank Cashier
But Now is an Exile.
Unable to Enjoy Religion on Account
of His Crime.
Especial to the PRESS J

WINNIPEG, Man, Feb. 2.-The following
| is the letter sent by Blackstone to Vice Pres
ident Thomas last December, copy of
which was, with difficulty, secured from the
court.
/ have Just received letter from my wife,
and she says you ask if l have ever used any
notes of your fathers. No, | have not;
neither have ever hypothecated any notes
In my hands that were the property of the
bank. This would have led to my sure de-
lection. The fact is you have all had such
implicit confidence in me that have been
able to get all the funds needed without re-
sort to forgery, as you will see when ex-
plain how man who handles no money can
steal money. didn't need to have any notes
in order to get adiscount l would enter the
names and amounts on the discount book,
then check the note on the discount book as
being short time, as many are, or as kept out
for some infOrmallty as is the case with
many. If the "tickler'' had been referred to
no such note would have been found entered.
The proceeds passed to the credit OF differ
ent parties. Then / went to them and said
they had been credited in error, and asked
for their check as the easiest way to nix 1T up
on our books. When / was acting for the
teller, the notes paid or charged up were not
always credited to the bills discounted. Ii
knew Mr.. Robinson was to be away next
week, could pass any amount to anyDody's
credit. Then, when l had the ledger, get
somebody's check for the same amount in it
over to the Diamond Wrench Company. 1t
would come in through the clearing house,
and l would charge it to whoever had the
credit. The papers say, l paid for these
things. This is not true. IL it were it
would certainly implicate whoever took the
pay. OF course / did not operate often
enough with any one firm to create suspicion.
The loan is $7650961 short My other
accounts are all right, except Boston check
for $S14 should be $19S IA. When the bank
examiner came around would put in enough
collection notes to make good the deficit.
When the directors took the loan / raised
the amounts of the notes sent away to Bos-
ton and New York. The directors never
dropped a line to the Commerce TO see if we
had such notes there, as they should have
done. My speculations commenced in Maine
mining stocks. Before that was an honest
man, and even then had no more idea of
robbing bank than you have. | used my
own money at first, was elated with success
and lost my head; risked ali j had in cash
besides buying options. When the options
where. This was when | first borrowed"
from the bank. reasoned that | would
soon be able to pay it all back. but that day
never came. In January, 1884, the Diamond
Wrench Manufacturing Company was
formed. My friends were going in and
urged me to do the same. Thought it very
profitable. / put in $1,000 and lost all, but
as thought through mismanagement. July
8, 1885, it was sold at auction. c. r. Milliken
was my only competitor. He offered me
$1,000 to go home Now wish | had accept
ed his offer. He and Geo. Burnham own
quarter of the patent, for which they paid
$1700. There has been some $4,000 put into
the company since July, 1885, and |
think the most of it can be got out
Mr.. Libby will, have no doubt, give you
every assistance in his power. He is an hon
est, shrewd fellow, and has had no
knowledge of my wrong doings. The papers
say that, like Mr.. Gould. II took a promi-
nent part in religious circles" That is not
true, but expect to have much said about
me that Is not true. l am member of State
Street Church, but have not been inside the
church for two years; nor at Woodford's
either. | have taken my little boy to Sun
day School occasionally and that is all. No,
/ had too great a weight of sin upon me to
enjoy anything religious. | haven't been
happy moment since / have been in this
miserable business, and if men don't believe
that "the wages of sinis:death" just let them
try it. / feel like calling on the rocks to fall
on me- | have been going around the past
few days trying to get work, offering to work
for my board, offering to wash dishes in
hotel. | might have been a bank cashier.
These things are so pleasant to contemplate.
How could ever have been such fool is
more than can understand. have carried
nothing away with me. You have all that
Is left of the wreck. i regret the shock to
your father, as well as all thu rest Of you,
and believe me when l say that l am sorry
and ashamed that have so abused the con-
iidence placed in me. If you want to conf
municate with me, write my father.
I'll. T. BLACKSTONE.
The case has been continued until Friday.